Shade or curtain fixture



April 2, 1935. s. F. GlLL 1,996,615

SHADE 0R CURTAIN FIXTURE Filed July 18, 1932 AAJTM Patented Apr. 2, 1.935

SHADE R CURTAIN FIXTURE Stephen F. Gill,

Philadelphia, Pa.

Application July 18, 1982, Serial No. 623,063

1 Claim.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a shade or curtain fixture provided with a protector, applicable to all makes of shades or curtains, which will maintain them free from all dirt, dust and grease that would otherwise settle on them when not in use. In ordinary fixtures,

the settlement on curtains or shades of such defacing matter leaves across them a mark or streak of dirt which is readily observable when they are pulled down and in use. It is clear that if the curtains or shades can be effectively protected from contamination, their life will be substantially prolonged.

It is also desirable that the curtain or shade, when suspended, shall be manipulatable in the usual manner to unwind and draw it down and to wind and retract it.

One embodiment of the invention whereby the above purposes may be accomplished is shown in the drawing, wherein Fig. l is a perspective view of the improved fixture with a small length of curtain depending therefrom.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the end caps or closures of the protecting shell removed.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view, broken away between its ends, of the protective shell.

Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the end closures or caps.

The shade structure may be of a conventional construction and comprise a fabric sheet, or shade proper, a, wound upon a roll b provided with the usual end pintles, one round and the other flat. Only one end pintle (f) is shown.

To the frame of the window are secured the usual angle irons, or shade structure hangers, not shown, one provided with a round hole for the reception of the round pintle and the other with an open-ended recess for the reception of the flat pintle.

Enclosing the roll b and so much of the shade a. as may be wound thereon is a protective shell h. The shape of the shell is approximately that of a cylinder provided with a longitudinal slot or opening it through which the unrolled part of the shade a is adapted to extend.

The shell h, as well as the shade structure, is suspended from the hangers by the following means. Applied to opposite ends of the shell h are caps 11 and 7'. Each cap is provided with a flange m adapted to be slipped over the end of the shell. Each flange is cut away to form an opening 0 that is aligned with the opening is in the shell when the cap is applied to the shell. The opposing ends of the fiange are provided with J extensions or ears n which are adapted to be bent around the outer ends of the edges of the longitudinally extending shellopenings lc2whereby the cap is maintained in fixed relation with the shell. One'cap i is provided with a central round hole 0 for the reception of the round pintle and the other cap 7' is provided with a central slot d for the reception of the flat pintle f.

In assembling the fixture, the cap i is applied to one end of the shell h; the roll b, with the shade a rolled therein, is slipped into the shell through its other end, the round pintle being pushed through the central hole 0 in cap 1'; and the cap 7' is applied to the end of the shell through which the shade roll was inserted in such manner that the flat pintle 1 extends through the central slot d in cap 7'. If the tube or shell h is too long, it may be, before applying cap 7', cut to proper length, which is preferably about that-of the width of the shade or curtain. In applying the caps, the ears h are bent around the longitudinal edges of the shell against its inner wall, thereby forcing the periphery of the shell against the inner faces of the flanges m of the caps i and '7' and at the same time clamping the caps on the ends of the shell. The projecting pintles are then engaged with the hangers in the usual manner.

The slot is in the shell h and the cut-away parts 0 of the flanges of the caps i and 7' allow the unwound end of the shade a to extend through the shelland to be wound upon and unwound from the roll I) in the usual manner. The shell it may be made of any suitable materiaL'but is preferably made of metal or a stiff composition board and covered with material identical with that of which the shade is formed. Therefore, whether the shade be wound, or partly or wholly unwound, the shell presents an appearance substantially the same as that presented by the wound portion of an ordinary window shade. If desired, the protecting shell maybe made of a material, or provided with a cover, adapted to match the woodwork of the window; or it may have any color desired and the color may be changed at any time by painting or re-covering. The life of the cover is practically indefinite and the cover may be re-used for new shades or curtains.

The tube or shell It may be made of different lengths to fit any width of shade or curtain, and may be made of a material that will allow it to be cut off at the end if it be longer than the width of the shade or curtain. The tube or shell h may also be made of different diameters so as to fit, when rolled, as neatly as desired, large store shades or curtains as well as small domestic ones.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A protective casing for shade or curtain fixtures having a roll on which a shade is adapted to be wound and end pintles adapted to engage fixed hangers, comprising a shell adapted to enclose the roll and to be spaced therefrom a dis tance sufiicient to accommodate a shade wound thereon, and having a longitudinal opening through which the unwound part 01' the shade is adapted to extend and which permits the shade to be wound and unwound, caps closing the ends of the shell, each cap having a flange adapted to slip over the shell end and cut away to form an opening adapted to be aligned with the end of the shell opening, said caps being provided with central openings through which said pintles may extend, and. ears, extending from opposite ends of each cap flange, adapted to be bent around and under opposing longitudinal edges of the shell to fixedly secure the caps to the shell and thereby l0 retain the shade roller within the casing.

STEPHEN F. GILL. 

